Outrage as Buhari comes under fire for alleging coup plot

President Muhammadu Buhari has come under attack for for alleging that some foreign leaders are planning to overthrow his government.

The president made the allegations in statement signed by Femi Adesina, his spokesperson on Tuesday.

Reacting to the allegation, the pan-Northern sociopolitical organisation, the ACF,  lashed out on the Presidency.

The group publicity secretary Emmanuel Yawe, said that the Presidency’s penchant for always viewing critics of Buhari with “dark motives” was wrong.

“The Presidency must be broad-minded enough to accommodate all shades of opinions. The criticism is done in good faith and if acted upon will help improve the situation in the country. It is wrong to see all critics as disgruntled, religious and past political leaders with dark motives. Some of them mean well for the government and the country.”

Also, the Pan Niger Delta Forum said through its spokesman, Robinson, that it is rather shocking that the Presidency would under the prevailing situation of disastrous insecurity tag religious leaders and past political leaders as ‘disgruntled.’ That is the least expected.

Also, the PDP and the convener of the Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, accused the President of overheating the polity.

The PDP in a statement by Kola Ologbondiyan described the allegation as a desperate attempt by the Buhari regime to blackmail Nigerians in the face of its failures.

“Rather than live up to the responsibilities of office by taking charge and securing our nation, the Presidency is busy engaging in frivolous allegations against Nigerians.

“It is however imperative to state that the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress are being haunted by their own shadows as Nigerians know the persons as well as the political party with the history and penchant to scuttle democratically elected governments.

“Perhaps, the Presidency has forgotten that in 1983, Brigadier Muhammadu Buhari, as he was then known, led a military coup to truncate a democratically elected government thereby causing our nation a huge drawback on democratic governance.

“Also, in 2015, the APC, which was hurriedly formulated, made itself available as a vehicle of brigandage to disrupt our political process by beguiling Nigerians and taking power through violence, propaganda and falsehood.

Speaking in a similar vein, Yakasai said, “It is not enough to embark on scaremongering by issuing statements on such a serious issue. We have yet to recover from the violent overthrow of the Tafawa Balewa-led first Republic by young military officers. I do not support any change of government other than that which comes through the ballot box.”

The spokesman of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, in an interview with The PUNCH, distanced the group from the plot.

He, however, noted that the President himself knew that all was not well in the country.

“Ohanaeze is not interested in anything coup. Ohanaeze is interested that the President should listen to us and address the nation. President should reorder his steps.

On its part, the Middle Belt Forum reminded the President that Nigeria was operating a democratic government.

The National Publicity Secretary of the MBF, Dr Isuwa Dogo, who stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents in Jos,  described the Presidency’s statement as an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.

“We view the statement as an expression of guilt by the Presidency for the deteriorating situation of things in the country including insecurity and its inability to stop it.”